New practical guide helps improve groundwater monitoring in humanitarian settings
The International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC), based in Delft, the Netherlands, has collaborated with Groundwater Relief and Action Contre la Faim to develop a practical guide for groundwater monitoring in humanitarian settings. Launched at the IWA World Water Congress in Glasgow in October 2026, the publication is a step-by-step roadmap, giving practical examples and ready-to-use tools to support the creation of groundwater monitoring networks in challenging environments.
Groundwater monitoring remains a major challenge
Groundwater monitoring is an essential part of sustainable water management, yet it remains a significant challenge worldwide. In humanitarian settings, where many people depend on groundwater and resources are often limited, the need for reliable monitoring is particularly pressing.
In refugee camps and other humanitarian contexts, large populations may depend almost entirely on groundwater for their daily water needs. High demand can put pressure on groundwater resources, while densely populated living conditions and inadequate sanitation can increase the risk of contamination. Despite this dependence, groundwater levels and quality are often monitored only to a limited extent. Without reliable data, it is difficult to assess the availability of groundwater, detect changes in water quality or identify potential risks to drinking water supplies.
Regular monitoring provides essential information for managing groundwater sustainably. It helps organisations understand how groundwater resources respond to abstraction and changing conditions, identify emerging risks, and make informed decisions to safeguard water supplies. However, establishing and maintaining monitoring networks in humanitarian settings is far from straightforward. Organisations frequently operate in rapidly changing environments, with limited budgets, technical capacity and equipment.
A practical roadmap for groundwater monitoring
A new publication entitled ‘Groundwater Monitoring in Humanitarian Contexts: A Guide for Practitioners and Decision Makers’ addresses these challenges by offering practical guidance on designing and implementing groundwater monitoring systems.
Drawing on recent research, expert interviews, field experience and case studies from Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh and north-east Syria, the guide outlines five stages of groundwater monitoring.
- Scoping – Assessing the context, monitoring needs and available resources.
- Design – Developing a monitoring network suited to local conditions and objectives.
- Preparation and procurement – Planning implementation and obtaining the necessary equipment.
- Pilot phase – Testing the monitoring system in practice.
- Improvement, expansion and handover – Refining the network, expanding monitoring activities and supporting long-term continuity.
Each stage includes recommendations, practical examples and common pitfalls to avoid, helping organisations adopt a structured approach to establishing monitoring networks.
Making groundwater monitoring more accessible
A key challenge in humanitarian water management is the gap between technical groundwater expertise and the practical capacity available in the field. Many existing guidelines assume a level of hydrogeological knowledge that humanitarian and development professionals may not have. The new guide seeks to address this gap. It is designed for practitioners and decision-makers who may not be groundwater specialists but are nevertheless responsible for planning, implementing or managing monitoring programmes. In addition to the roadmap, the publication includes practical tips, references to technical resources and ready-to-use templates that can support implementation in low-resource environments.
Supporting safer and more sustainable water supplies
Effective groundwater monitoring is not simply about collecting data. Understanding changes in groundwater levels and quality is essential for anticipating shortages, identifying contamination risks and making timely decisions about water use and protection. This is particularly relevant in humanitarian settings, where communities may have few alternative water sources and where disruptions to groundwater supplies can have immediate consequences for public health.
The publication emphasises that operational groundwater monitoring networks can be created even under difficult conditions, provided that monitoring activities are adapted to local circumstances and available resources.
Download the guide
The guide is freely available to humanitarian organisations, water professionals and other interested parties.
Publication details:
Published in 2026 by Groundwater Relief, Action Contre la Faim, and IGRAC.
Authors: W. Veness, G. Burrows, T. Heath, E. Lictevout, L. Marquetto, J. Lapegue, M. Rygus, E. Egidio, B. Pruvost and W. Buytaert.
Source: IGRAC
